Photo Idea Index: Things [Book Review]
This one got to me instantly and powerfully: “not a book of pictures … (it) is a book of ideas.” As author Jim Krause calls it.
Measuring a pocket-book sized 23x15x2cm, it could fit into a mid-sized camera bag and would rapidly give you a jolt of fresh ideas when out and about with a camera.
In reality you have to take Krause’s “not a book of pictures” message with a pinch of salt: the book is actually chockers with pictures and very light on text. However the pictures — well over 300 of them — are of such a concise and powerful style that each does in fact give a creative jolt as you skim through them.
Delving deeper I discovered that each group of thirty images is backed up by 40-50 words of explanatory text describing how each was achieved at the camera and software stages.
Krause is a designer/illustrator/photographer by trade and his precise eye for a picture shows up brilliantly, not only in his choice of subject but also in the tight framing that avoids distracting elements in the frame.
I see a lot of books kin my reviewing tasks but this one impressed the hell out of me as a concentrated stimulant to get out there and get the shots! Great shots!
One of the best!
Author: J Krause.
Publisher: HOW Books.
Distributor: Capricorn Link.
Length: 354 pages.
ISBN 978 1 60061 044 8.
Price: Get a price on Photo Idea Index – Things at Amazon.




9 Responses to “Photo Idea Index: Things [Book Review]” - Add Yours
May 30th, 2010 at 6:19 am
Oh that was my first Photography book. Infact I’ve all of its collection.
People should buy Photo Idea Index [Places] as well
Thanks for sharing
May 30th, 2010 at 9:22 am
A bit expensive, although you should get back your money investment through photographs’ ideas
)
May 30th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I hate reviews like this
They make me use lots of money on books I just cannot live without
No I can hardly wait to get it in my mail!
May 30th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Thanks for the write up…I wish there were some additional reviews on Amazon. This seems like a nice idea – one of his other books on amazon has many glowing reviews so this one may be just as good.
May 31st, 2010 at 1:12 am
I just ordered it! Thanks for the tip
May 31st, 2010 at 12:49 pm
why not just google images if you need “ideas”
June 2nd, 2010 at 10:26 pm
I have this book, and the “Photo Idea Index” also, I haven’t seen “Places” at my local Barnes and Nobles yet. I know am building an impressive collection of cloud photographs.
June 4th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
@Oliver – I guess if you have your mobile and Google with you everywhere you have your camera, you could just do that — or find a batch of photos and put them on your phone before you go out, but sometimes there really is something about having a beautiful print copy with you.
It’s a bad analogy, perhaps, but why do you bother to print out your photos? Because there’s something tangible and ‘real’ about taking images out of the digital realm.
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:13 am
I use this for ideas:
It’s not photographs, but it gives excellent ideas.
Leave a Reply